Low adhesion coatings on adhesive tapes and liners



LOW ADHESION COATINGS NADHESIVE TAPESAND'INERS ApplicationfsFebruary 15, 1954, SerialNo..410,452 I3-Claims. (CLIM-'59) This invention relates 'to-new -adhesivevtapes land liners. More particularly, it relates 'to 4adhesive 'tapes and protective 'liners rwith new low adhesion coatings which Igreafltlyfacilitatetheistripping of rftapesfrom rolls or from liners.

Pressure sensitive adhesive @tapes 'are widely yused -in 4industry and in the home. They have fthe ladvantages lof being easylto apply'andfremove along withthe ability to make strong bonds with most materials. 'Transparent tapes are usedto yrepair"tornrbooksypapers, fishing rods, etc. Paper-backed tapes are used to sealpackages, for labels and to mask or to bind other masking materials to objects `to be painted. Textile-backed adhesive tapes are commonly used in bandages andlabellingmaterials.

The adhesive sides o f these *tapes .must be protected Vduring storage and'be'fore application. 'This is .usually done `by winding thetapeupon itself orbycovering the adhesive sides with protective liners formed of sheets of paper'or other materials.

lt is an object 'of `this "invention to 1provide pressure 'sensitive `adhesive'tapes characterized by the ease with which the tapes may ibe unrolledifromtheirlm backing or stripped :from protective-liners.

It is another object ofthis linvention to `provide low adhesion coatings Afor back-sizing pressure sensitive adhesive tapes. 'It is a'further `object'of Vthis invention to provide lowadhesionecoatingsfor removableliners `to be used with pressure sensitive adhesive tapes.

These and otherobjects Mare `accomplished `by coating 'the'non-adhesive "s'ide lof a'tape, or the protective liner Iwith a copolymerof aviny'l esterofasaturated carboxylic acid with a partial ester of `ma`leicac`id. The coating may also comprise .a mixture of "this copolymer with varioussizes commonly *applied to *the "iilm'backing The useV of liners :coated with-this copolymer l'facilitates theuse of v'pressure-sensitive `adhesives on'labels and decalcomania type lproducts. KUsing the liners thus 'coated to protect an adhesive -layer` enables oneto-use moisturesensitive `adhesives aWithout'incurring premature sticking.

"These liners Amay also be lused -toprevent Vcohesion and adhesion of Various -tacky materials "on storing or in `packaging.

A characteristic of the adhesives used inpressure sensitive 1 tapes lis the -'ability ftostrip -cieanly Lfrom the vsurface `to which the tape is'applied. Considerablefforce is usually` necessaryeto do' this` andthe force Yrequired-is a Imeasure of the quality'of lthelbond. uForfeiiicient use vof tape,

however, the fforce required to unrollfit or`to remove -tinued for any period. However, )the adhesive `Vsurface .must A stick sui-liciently t-well f to "the backing i to permit -1ap- -ping `and sticking of one flayer Jof tape #over another.

T he '-low adhesion coating must itherefore lallow affair nited States Patent `2 amount of adhesion -but lessfthaul an, amount which would yrequire an undue etfort to unwind the tape.

.By this invention, the strippingforce is greatly reduced thereby avoidingy tearing and the effort needed with prior tapes, Ayet suiicient adhesion `is.a'llowed.so 4that the tape maybelapped and still form-a satisfactory bond. This is accomplished by applying to the-surface which contacts the Vpressure-sensitive adhesive, 1an ,extremely thin coating of a vinyl ester-alkyl maleatecopolymer.

Embodiments of :the-invention are lillustrated in the accompanying drawing. The various figures show the side or Aedge of theproducts in diagrammatic views.

Fig. l shows a roll `10 of pressure-sensitive adhesive tape wound directly upon itself. The 'tape consists of a backing coated on kone side with Apressure-sensitive adhesive and on the other side Witha coating having a-lowadherency to thepressurefsensitive adhesive. 'The tape 'is ,woundso that thepressure-sensitive adhesive is on the inside. The low-adhesion vcoating comprises certain .copolymers of vinylesters with partialesters of maleic acid.

Fig. 2 shows an'edgeview of magnied section of a pressure;sensitivetapeconsisting of1-a"nontbrous film ybacking 1.1 having the lpressure-sensitiveadhesive 12 on one broad surface `and -the `low Vadhesion coating 13 on -the other ,broadsurface ,Fig l3 showsan edge Aview of a strip-of a section of vtape `in whichtthefilm backing114'consists of1brous paper and one surface `ofthepaper has a filler jsizing 16 underneath the low-adhesion coating 17 While the other surface is coated with the pressure-sensitive adhesive 15.

Fig. lLttillustrateshe useacffa vprotective liner 20 `having a lowadhesion coating onfbothsides rina `rolled pressuresensitive ,adhesive tape '1-8 :havingvpressurefsensitive adfhesivegon its innerfand outer snrfacesrl9..

fFig. l5 is,a crossfsectionviewtof agseries of labels 23 having apressu-refsensitive adhesive .surface 24.in,contact `with a low-adhesiontcoating `22gon alprotectiveliner 21.

PREPARATION "OF THE 'VCOPOLYMERS The copolymersusedin'this inventioncan bemade `in conventional polymerization equipment. ,For example, the following compositionwas prepared in a 50-gallon glass-.lined jacketed polymerization kettle fitted with an 'agitator and varellux condenser. `Where-parts are mentioned, they are'parts by weight.

26 parts of maleic anhydride were added to the kettle. The jacket temperature was vraised to C. to melt the maleic anhydride. Thereafter, 74 parts of octadecyl alcohol were slowly added'over-'a` period of 11/2 hours during which time the batch temperature was raised to C. :The reaction produced an ester'of substantially equal molarparts `of-the alcohol and'the maleic anhydride, a 3% excess ofthe alcohol havingbeenused to drive the reaction toy completion.

The charge Awas then cooled ltcrthe :reflux temperature of benzene and 200 parts of benzene were-addedifollowed by 2 parts of benzoyliperoxide.

35 parts of vinyl acetate were then added in a very slow'stream sothat the addition time'was about 7 hours. `Reflux ,temperature was maintained all during the addition. When allthe vinylacetatehadbeen added, heating was continued for another-hour to insure complete reaction. The product was la benzene solution of a vinyl acetate-mono-octadecyl maleate'copolymer in the ratioof 1.5'mols of vinylacetateper mol of partial maleic ester. `It may be `applied from rthis solution ^or precipitated out of solution 4and dried.

lCOPLYMERS USEFUL IN :THIS `INVENTION .These copolymers arezunique'infthatasimple copolymei-ization reaction .unites inv one macromolecule, short- 1chain estergroups, carboxylgroupsanddong-chain ester groups. Many variations are possible yet surprisingly only a relatively small range of compositions are effective low adhesion coatings. These are delineated below.

(a) Ratio of vinyl ester to maleic ester The preferred composition range is from 1 to 5 mols of vinyl ester to l mol of the alkyl maleate. With higher ratios of vinyl ester to alkyl maleate, the adhesive resisting activity is too slight to be useful in present day tapes which must stand temperature extremes in storage. Lower ratios of vinyl ester to alkyl maleate yield copolymers with inferior film-forming ability.

(b) Ratio of alkyl groups to maleic acid In our invention, we have found that the existence of unreacted carboxyl groups in the copolymer is highly advantageous. Full diesters are therefore not desired. On the other hand, copolymers of vinyl esters with maleic anhydride or maleic acid do not form satisfactory low adhesion coatings. Our preferred partial esters are made by reacting an alcohol with maleic anhydride in the range from 1/2 to 1V: mols of an alkyl alcohol per mol of maleic acid.

(c) Alkyl esters of maleic acid Decyl (C-) maleates to docosyl (C-22) maleates and mixtures of these malcates cover the range of usable Lauryl, palmityl and stearyl are among the well-known alkyl groups included in these esters. We prefer the C-16 to C-20 range because of their excellent eiciency in the coatings. These alcohols and mixtures of these alcohols are readily available and economical.

(d) Vinyl esters Copolymers forming the more desirable low-adhesion coatings are composed of these alkyl maleates with vinyl esters of saturated carboxylic acids containing 2-6 carbon atoms such as acetic, propionic, butyric, valeric and caproic acids. The low adhesion coating must be rmly bonded to the fibrous or non-fibrous backing. If the low adhesion coating pulls o with the adhesive, the efficiency of the adhesive is seriously impaired. Copolymers made with these vinyl esters adhere to the backing and yet are sufciently non-adhesive to allow easy stripping of the adhesive layer.

THE ADHESIVES THE FILM BACK-ING The vinyl ester-alkyl maleate copolymer may be used on all types of common film backings.

On plain or crepe papers, various sizing materials such as natural and synthetic resins, are commonly used to enhance the strength and reduce the porosity of the paper. It is usually more economical to mix the copolymer with these backsizes and apply both together but the copolymer may be applied alone to paper previously sized. Copolymer applied even to unsized paper has the effect of strengthening the paper.

The use of these vinyl ester-alkyl maleate copolymers on textile lm backings closely parallels that on paper. Woven textiles are usually suiiiciently strong to resist tearing and ripping when the tape is removed from a roll or from the place it has been applied. The added strength gained by sizing the fabric with the copolymer is not usually needed so it is preferable to presize the textile backing in order to reduce the amount of copolymer required. The presize may be any of the common textile sizes including starch, casein, polyvinyl acetate or other resins. Here also, the copolymer may be applied alone or in a mixture with the size.

Many other types of film backings are commonly used. Examples are cellophane, ethyl cellulose, cellulose nitrate, cellulose aceto-butyrate, polyvinyl acetate, hydrolyzed polyvinyl acetate, polyvinyl formal, polyvinyl butyral, polyvinyl acetal, polyvinyl chloride, etc. All can be effectively treated with the vinyl ester-alkyl maleate copolymer alone or in a mixture with conventional coatings for these 'film backings, The copolymer is particularly useful with smooth hard-surfaced ilm backings since it will adhere firmly to the backing while its outer surface is inactive to pressure-sensitive adhesives.

Many film-forming materials are sensitive to moisture. The use of the copolymer coating of this invention not only provides a low adhesion surface but also imparts moisture resistance because of the hydrophobic character of the copolymer.

The discussion of these film backings applies to liners as well as tapes.

APPLYING THE COPOLYMER The copolymer or mixtures of the copolymer with backsizing materials may be applied from solution in organic ysolventsv or from aqueous dispersions. Benzene, toluene and ethyl acetate are typical solvents for the copolymer. The most economical method is to coat the film backing in a continuous manner by means of wet rolls and then drying by passing over steam-heated drums. Only one roll is in contact with a solution or dispersion of the copolymer for tapes requiring one low-adhesion surface. Protective liners for tapes having two adhesive surfaces must be treated on both sides. This may be done by dipping followed by squeeze rolls or by having two wet rolls.

Only an extremely thin coating of the copolymer is required to substantially reduce the stripping force. With the exception of very porous film backings, less than twotenths of an ounce of copolymer per square yard of backing is usually sufficient.

Pressure-sensitive adhesive tapes having a lm backing of a smooth material such as cellophane usually require less copolymer than paper or textile-backed tapes. Tapes made of cellophane sheeting backsized with only 0.005 ounce per square yard of a copolymer of Vinyl acetate with av partial dodecyl maleate are substantially easier to unwind than cellophane tapes with a standard backsize or none at all. This copolymer is in a molar ratio of vinyl ester to maleate of 2 to 1 and the maleic ester is composed of mol of normal dodecyl alcohol and l mol of maleic acid. The improvement exists in stored tapes as well as freshly prepared tapes. A primer is often used to bind low-adhesion coatings to cellophane. These copolymers, however, need no additional binder and may be applied directly.

These thin copolymer coatings have outstanding low adhesion characteristics even when diluted by being applied in a mixture with a standard backsize. Four rolls of masking tape were preparing using a backing of crepe paper. The paper for two tapes was roll-coated on one side with a mixed solution containing our copolymer and an alkyd resin and then dried. The copolymer was the vinyl acetate with mono-octadecyl maleate in benzene made as described above and the alkyd was a lauric acidmodified glycol phthalate resin in a toluene-alcohol solvent system. The mixed solution contained 1 part copolymer to 50 parts ofvalkyd resin by weight and the contration of copolymer deposited on the paper amounted to,0.02 ounce per square yard of paper. For the purposes of the tests illustrated below, the tapes prepared with this mixed backsize are referred to as copolymer coated. Two other tapes were prepared with a backsize consisting of the alkyd resin alone. These are referred to below as uncoated. The untreated sides of the four tapes were coated with a rubber-resin pressure-sensitive adhesive and the dried tapes were wound upon themselves into rolls. The tapes backsized with the alkyd resin alone were considerably mode dilicult to unwind than the tapes backsized with the mixtures.

TESTING THE LOW-ADHESION COATING Some results of tests on tape are shown below to illustrate the eiciency of these copolymer coatings. In testing low-adhesion coatings on tapes, the force required to strip tape from a roll or a removable liner is the important property. The force required is partially dependent upon stripping speed and is usually reported in pounds of pullup tension at specified speeds. The pick-off of easily observable amounts of pressure-sensitive adhesive or lowadhesion coating from the lm backing is regarded as complete failure and no force is recorded.

The initial eiciency of many low-adhesion coatings on adhesive tapes decreases greatly within a few days after being rolled. High or low temperatures, moisture and contact with the pressure-sensitive adhesive are among the causes. The masking tapes prepared above were, therefore, aged 7 days before the eiort required to unwind them was measured. One of the copolymer coated tapes and an uncoated tape were stored at normal room temperature and humidity. The other pair was stored under controlled conditions at 100 F. and a relative humidity of 80%. The following results were obtained:

TEST A-TAPE AGED 7 DAYS AT ROOM TEMPERATURE The foregoing description is given in illustration and not in limitation of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An adhesive tape comprising a lm backing, a pressure-sensitive adhesive on one side of the backing and on the other side a low-adhesion coating comprising a copolymer of from 1 to 5 mols of a vinyl ester of a saturated carboxylic acid containing from 2 to 6 carbon atoms with 1 mol of a partial alkyl ester of maleic acid, the maleic ester being composed of 1/2 to 11/2 mols of an alkyl alcohol containing from 10 to 22 carbon atoms and l mol of maleic acid.

2. An adhesive tape according to claim 1 wherein said alkyl alcohol contains from 16 to 20 carbon atoms.

3. An adhesive tape according to claim 1 wherein said vinyl ester is vinyl acetate and said maleic ester is monooctadecyl maleate.

4. An adhesive tape wound upon itself in roll form, having a cellulosic film backing coated on the inner face with a pressure-sensitive adhesive and coated on the outer face with a low-adhesion composition comprising a copolymer of from l to 5 mols of a vinyl ester of a saturated carboxylic acid containing from 2 to 6 carbon atoms with 1 mol of a partial alkyl ester of maleic acid, the maleic ester being composed of from A to 1% mols of an alkyl alcohol containing from 10 to 22 carbon atoms and 1 mol of maleic acid.

5. A rolled adhesive tape comprising a porous paper sheet impregnated with a sizing material, coated on the inner face with a pressure-sensitive adhesive and coated on the outer face with a low-adhesion coating composition comprising a copolymer of from 1 to 5 mols of a vinyl ester of a saturated carboxylic acid containing from 2 to 6 carbon atoms with 1 mol of a partial alkyl ester of maleic acid, the maleic ester being composed of from 1/2 to 11/2 mols yof an alkyl l'alcohol containing from 10 to 22 carbon atoms and 1 mol of maleic acid, said outer coating being inactive to the pressure-sensitive adhesive to an extent permitting easy unwinding of the adhesive tape without delamination of the low-adhesion coating, offsetting of the adhesive and tearing of the film backing.

6. In a method of making an adhesive tape comprising a film backing and a pressure-sensitive adhesive on onel side of the backing, the step comprising applying to the other side of the backing a coating of a copolymer of from 1 to 5 mols of a vinyl ester of a saturated carboxylic acid containing from 2 to 6 carbon atoms with 1 mol of a partial alkyl ester of maleic acid, the maleic ester being composed of 1/2 to 11/2 mols of an alkyl alcohol containing from 10 to 22 carbon atoms and 1 mol of maleic acid.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein said alkyl alcohol contains from 16 to 20 carbon atoms.

8. A method according to claim 6 wherein said vinyl ester is vinyl acetate and said maleic ester is mono-octadecyl maleate.

9. A film backing having on at least one of its broad surfaces a low-adhesion coating for the protection of pressure-sensitive adhesive surfaces, said coating comprising a copolymer of 1 to 5 mols of a vinyl ester of a saturated carboxylic acid containing from 2 to 6 carbon atoms with 1 mol of a partial alkyl ester of maleic acid, the maleic ester being composed of 1/2 to 11/2 mols of an alkyl alcohol containing 10 to 22 carbon atoms and 1 mol of maleic acid.

10. In combination with a lm backing carrying a pressure-sensitive adhesive coating on at least one side thereof, a removable liner having a low adhesion coating in contact with the pressure-sensitive adhesive, said lowadhesion liner coating comprising a copolymer of from l to 5 mols of a vinyl ester of a saturated carboxylic acid containing from 2 to 6 carbon atoms with 1 mol of a partial alkyl ester of maleic acid, the maleic ester being composed of from 1/2 to 11/2 mols of an alkyl alcohol containing from 10 to 22 carbon atoms and 1 mol of maleic acid.

11. A combination according to claim l0 wherein said alkyl alcohol contains from 16 to 20 carbon atoms.

12. A combination according to claim 10 wherein said vinyl ester is vinyl acetate and said maleic ester is monooctadecyl maleate.

13. In combination with a rolled adhesive tape comprising a film backing and a pressure-sensitive adhesive coating on the surface of the inner and outer faces, a removable liner having a low-adhesive coating on the surface of both faces, the liner being interposed between the layers of adhesive tape, the low-adhesion coating thereby being in contact with the pressure-sensitive adhesive coating, said low-adhesion coating comprising a copolymer of from 1 to 5 mols of a vinyl ester of a saturated carboxylic acid containing from 2 to 6 carbon atoms with 1 mol of a partial alkyl ester of maleic acid, the maleic ester being composed of from V2 to 11/2 mols of an alkyl alcohol containing from 10 to 22 carbon atoms and 1 mol of maleic acid.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,168,535 'Nuesslein et al. Aug. 8, 1939 

4. AN ADHESIVE TAPE WOUND UPON ITSELF IN ROLL FORM, HAVING A CELLULOSIC FILM BACKING COATED ON THE INNER FACE WITH A PRESSURE-SENSITIVE ADHESIVE AND COATED ON THE OUTER FACE WITH A LOW-ADHESION COMPOSITION COMPRISING A COPOLYMER OF FROM 1 TO 5 MOLS OF A VINYL ESTER OF A SATURATED CARBOXYLIC ACID CONTAINING FROM 2 TO 6 CARBON ATOMS WITH 1 MOL OF A PARTIAL ALKYL ESTER OF MALEIC ACID, THE MALEIC ESTER BEING COMPOSED OF FROM 1/2 TO 1 1/2 MOLS OF AN ALKYL ALCOHOL CONTAINING FROM 10 TO 22 CARBON ATOMS AND 1 MOL OF MALEIC ACID. 